Àbáse
Awakening
By Jeff Mao
Science informs us that while we’re still in the womb, we’re able to hear our parents’ voices; and after birth, as we develop consciousness and memory, we’ll be soothed by these familiar sounds. As humans trying to make sense of our time on this planet, we may wishfully imagine a similarly comforting course to the proverbial “next” phase of existence: one that requires no intellectual inquiry, only an intuitive awareness of our present condition tethered to our innate ability to listen.
Szabolcs Bognár has been listening. Recent years have found the producer/multi-instrumentalist behind Àbáse especially mindful of the life cycle in all its biological a spiritual definitions as his personal and musical paths have dovetailed in profound ways: the realizati on of Àbáse from a spark of imagination to actuality, his immersion in the Candomble faith, a move from Szabi’s native Hungary to Berlin, marriage, new parenthood, and the inevitable interrogation of mortality that takes place when a loved one has transitioned.
The highs, lows and everything in between have pushed him towards a kind of creative rebirth.
Where Àbáse’s previous album, Laroyê, was initiated by five months spent recording in Brazil in decidedly DIY-style, it was ultimately completed via hundreds of hours of painstaking post-production performed on Szabi’s laptop. Though pleased with the results, he was burnt out and needed a fresh approach. “I wanted to play, capture the moment, and do as little editing as possible,” he recalls. During the circuitous arc of the pandemic’s pauses and restarts he devotedly revisited a familiar touchstone in the classic Coltrane quartet’s ’60s recordings, drawing inspiration from their smoldering monastic intensity. His desire to embark on a more purely live, analog recording process, however, was cinched when he found not just an empathetic partner but a catalyst for his passion in accomplished engineer Erik Breuer, founder of Berlin’s freshly constructed Brewery Studios and a key figure within Analogue Foundation, the international coalition dedicated to the virtues of high quality sound experiences.
Recorded in four days in Brewery’s homey live room with an ensemble of close collaborators, Awakening coalesces Àbáse’s varied musical influences and reference points (classic Lagos Afrobeat, traditional Hungarian folk, Yoruba rhythms, house and techno, hip-hop et al) with the exquisite modal improvisation spurred by Szabi’s introspection. Mostly composed of first and second takes with minimal overdubs, the level of intimacy achieved herein extends beyond the depth of overall vibes (though they’re well in abundance). It can also be felt on the margins of an Afro-infused offering to the unseen forces of destiny such as “Menidaso (My Hope)” - when a sweeping coda (and invocation in Twi from percussionist/vocalist Eric Owusu) recedes, leaving just the low hum of an amp. Or in sonic accents like the laughter of Szabi’s young daughter Flóra that accompanies “Shining” - an homage to J Dilla that borrows its title and sense of tricky rhythm from the late production genius’s oeuvre.
Most prevalent is the theme of the continuum, musically and conceptually. Recurrent phrases permeate a lovely reading of a traditional Hungarian folk song of longing, “Gyászba Borult Isten Àbáse.
Symbiosis 5
The band Symbiosis 5 mainly plays instrumental jazz. Its members met during their studies at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music and the Béla Bartók Conservatory, and are now all active contributors to the Hungarian jazz scene. Since their establishment in 2020, they have won first place in the "Getxo Jazz" and "Sibiu Jazz" competitions, as well as both main prizes of the 2023 "MÜPA Jazz Showcase". Their goal is to experience the expressive power of instrumental music and introduce it to listeners. Their music is strongly influenced by modal and contemporary jazz, but they also like to use many other musical elements.
Yokaimor
Narrative jazz music imbued with Scandinavian influences.
Ákos Pálinkás - drums
János Pogány 'Pogi' - double bass
Tim Smith - piano
Realized with the support of the LivEurope and the NKA.
